CHRONOLOGY FOR 1960

(April—June)

A p ril1 —Plans announced for the colonialism. construction of a new cathedral in A p ril10 —The Association of Osaka near the site of the death Shrine Shinto Youth of Kyoto of the famous Gratia Hosogawa. decided to enlarge its scope to April 5 —The Christian Liaison include the youth of Shinto sects. Committee sent a letter to Mr. A p ril13 —A new convent of the To Matsunaga, Chairman of the Notre Dame Sisters in Kusatsu Liberal Democratic Party’s special was blessed. This is the first committee on the Religious Juri­ mission parish work to be under­ dical Persons Law in which atten­ taken by this group. tion was called to the fact that A p ril13 —The executive commit­ the Japan Buddhist Association，the tee of the Tokyo Association of Sectarian Shinto Federation, The Buddhists met to discuss problems Union of New Religious Organi­ raised by the Ministry of Welfare zations in Japan, as v/ell as the notice of March 8th.，regarding Christian Liaison Committee are the interment of ashes without all opposed to granting special religious rites prescribed by the status to the Grand Shrine of Ise, temple concerned, (see p. 91) and that in the religious world A p ril14 —Rissho Kosei Kai o­ only the Association of Shinto pened a new branch in Osaka, Shrines favors it. —My5chi Kai celebrated the 60th April 8 —His Eminence Peter anniversary of the founder, Mrs. Tatsuo Cardinal Doi returned to Mitsu Miyamoto. Japan. A p ril16 —The executive board of —Buddhist leaders attended a four- the Union of New Religious Orga­ day Afro-Asian Conference at New nizations in Japan discussed grant­ Delhi, India, on Tibet and anti­ ing special status to the Grand

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Shrine of Ise. to honor Japan’s first cardinal. Dr. A p ril17 —Goodwill Athletic Meet K5taro Tanaka, Chief Justice of in Kansai sponsored by the Union the Supreme Court, and a number of New Religious Organizations in of members of the diplomatic corps Japan. were present. —The National Christian Council April 26 —According to Jinja executive committee voted to ap­ Shimpo QShrine News')，eleven pre- prove special status for Yasukuni fectural assemblies and 545 local Shrine on condition that it be councils have passed resolutions divested of its religious character. requesting the granting of special April 19 ■~Soka Gakkai executive status to Yasukuni Shrine. board selected Mr. Daisaku Ikeda —The National Association of (32) as its president. Shrine Shinto Women, of which April 20 —A new college offering Mrs. Yasuko Takatsukasa is pre­ courses in domesic science was sident, held its eleventh central opened in Tokyo by the Salesian committee meeting at the Omi Sisters. Shrine. The association has bran， April 2 1 —A round-the-world ches in thirty-six prefectures. Catholic Relief Services party —Shikoku District of the United composed of eleven monsignori, six Church passed a resolution against priests, and four laymen arrived in the US-Japan Security Treaty. Japan for a four-day inspection of —Nishi Chugoku District of the Catholic relief work in Japan. United Church passed a resolution April 22 —The Association of against the US-Japan Security Supporters of the Grand Shrine of Treaty. Ise (Jingu Hosan Kai) elected Mr. May 1 一 The Union of New Re­ Kiyoshi Tanaka associate chief ligious Organizations in Japan in­ priest of the shrine, as chairman augurated radio “ evangelism” in of the board of directors. Osaka. The P L Church is on April 24 —Over one thousand the air on Monday mornings and Catholics, clergy and laity, gathered the Enno-kyo on Wednesdays. at St. Ignatius Church in Tokyo May 3 —The twenty-second

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general assembly of Soka Gakkai ap­ Ministry of Education) proved the election of Mr. Daisaku Rev. Ryuden Abe (Shingon Sect) Ikeda as its third president. Prof. Hideo Kishimoto (Tokyo U­ —The Chiigai Nippo conducted a niversity) conference on the graveyard pro­ Rev. Tokuchika Miki (P L blems. Church) —Christian rally against ratifica­ Mr. Juichi Shimomura (Former tion US-Japan Security Treaty held chief Religious Affairs Bureau, at Shiba Public Hall in Tokyo,-800 Ministry of Education) attended. (Similar rallies were Rev. Kenichi Shishino (Fuso-kyo) held in Osaka (18th)，Kobe (22nd) Mr. Keigoro Moroi (Tenri-kyo) and Kyoto (22ncl)?-attendance 300.) Rev. Kanky5 Mochizuki (Nichiren May 5 —Myochi Kai inaugurated Sect) a national youth organization. May 8 —Bishop Dominic Noguchi May 6 —The following persons of Hiroshima was consecrated in were appointed by the Minister of Rome by His Holiness Pope John Education as members of the Reli­ XXIII, gious Juridical Persons Council: May 10 —An Association of Out­ Prof. Rokusaburo Nieda (Waseda casts (Dowa Kai) was organized University), in Tokyo with Mr. Nobuo Sugi- Prof. Junsho Ota. (Jodo Shin) moto of Nishi Honganji as Vice Rev. Zenta Watanabe (United President. (There are approximate­ Church of Christ—Protestant) ly three million former outcasts， Mr. Hideo Takeshima (Associa­ of which an estimated sixty-five tion of Shinto Shrines) percent are adherents of the Nishi Rev. Shundo Kurimoto CJodo Sect) Honganji Sect. Discrimination per­ Mr. Arata Furuya (Association of sists in spite of its legal abolition.) Shinto Shrines) —A ground-breaking ceremony was Prof. Yoshio Kobayashi (Sophia observed for a new high school in University—Catholic) Higashi Muroran, Hokkaido, to be Mr. Kenzo Ahara. (Former member conducted by the Benedictine Sis­ of the Religious Affair Bureau, ters. CHRONOLOGY FOR 1960

May 13 —The International tee of the Tokyo District of the Catholic Migration Commission United Church of Christ in Japan, opened a liaison office in the Na­ having learned that World Vision tional Catholic Committee building is an organization which draws in Tokyo. support from donors of many dif­ May 14 —The first volume of the ferent denominations, decided at Taisho edition of the Mahayana a two-day conference that member- sutras will be reprinted this sum­ churches，if they so desire，should mer. The complete set of eighty- feel entirely free to cooperate in eight volumes will be published the proposed 1961 Tokyo Crusade. during the next seven years. May 26 —The 48th annual meet­ May 17 —Mr. Giken Ito, Presi­ ing of the Association of Chris­ dent of Buddhist Democratic Party tian Schools met for a two-day announced its opposition to the session at Kobe College. Mayor new US—Japan Security Treaty on Gizo Takayama of Kyoto, a Chris­ the grounds that it ( 1 ) violates tian, was the guest speaker. Prior the Constitution, (2) is a military to the meeting the executive com­ alliance, and (3) subjects Japan to mittee met at Kansei Gakuin on the will of the United States. How­ the 25th and representatives of ever, the resolution embodying forty-two member-schools that are this opposition, admits the neces­ affiliated with the Interboard Com­ sity of the Self Defense Forces. mittee for Christian Work in May 18 —Buddhist temples in To­ Japan met at the Takarazuka Hotel kyo organized a special committee under the chairmanship of Dr. on the graveyard problem. Ganjo Kosaka，former president of May 2 1 —The advisorsof the As­ Aoyama Gakuin. sociation of Shinto Shrines held —Ninth general meeting of the a conference to promote special Association of Shinto Nursery status for the Grand Shrine of Ise Schools and Kindergartens was held and the re-establishment of Februa­ at the headquarters of the Asso­ ry 11 as National Foundation Day. ciation of Shinto Shrines. May 23 —The executive commit­ May 27 —Two young Japanese

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Catholics attended the first world June 1 —The Rissho Kosei Kai congress in Lourdes, France, of the has changed the manner of writing Catholic International Farm Youth its name in Japanese, ihe name Movement. is n o w 立正佼成会，instead o f 立正 —Soka Gakkai is reported to have 交成会. set as its goal the conversion of June 4 —Twenty-eight leaders of three million new families during the Union of New Religious Organi­ the nert four years. The believers zations in Japan met with Prime of Rissho Kosei Kai, also a Nichi- Minister Kishi and leaders of the ren-related faith, are its special Liberal Democratic Party and as­ target. sured them of their support as —Eleventh annual meeting of the well as their willingness to cooper­ Japanese Association of Indian and ate in welcoming President Buddhist Studies opened at Waseda Eisenhower. University. —Five hundred people gathered at May 29 —Eighth annual meeting the Tojo Hall in Tokyo to celebrate of the Japan Buddhist Federation the 82nd birthday of Dr. Frank opened at Kanazawa. Special con­ Bookman, founder of MRA. sideration was given to ( 1 ) relief June 5 —According to newspaper for Chilean earthquake sufferers, reports, 260,000 people worshipped (2) US-Japan Security Treaty and at the Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya ' (3) the graveyard issue. where the sacred sword, one of —The K5do Church, a modern the three Imperial Regalia, is en­ Buddhist sect which has its head­ shrined. quarters in Yokohama, plans to June 6 —The Tokyo YWCA ex­ construct a pagoda at a cost of ecutive board decided to hold na­ more than $400,000 during the next tionwide noon-time prayer meet­ seven years. ings and urged the 15,000 members May 3 1 —The Myoshinji Sect of of city and school associations to Rinzai (Zen) Buddhism is planning protest against the “ illegal，’ action to open thirty-three propaganda of the Diet on May 20th. After centers in the United States. the meeting most of those present

— 84 — CHRONOLOGY FOR 1960 joined demonstrators at the Diet from the party because of differen­ building. ces of opinion over the US-Japan June 7 —Ten teachers of Toyo Security Treaty. Eiwa Girls School drafted a protest —Organization ceremony of the against ratification of the US-Japan Buddhist Political League held at Security Treaty and sent the same the Industrial Club in Tokyo. to all Christian schools in Japan 一The Rev. Tokuchika Miki, Pa­ requesting that signatures be col­ triarch of the P L Church and lected for it. party departed on a world tour. June 8 —One hundred sixty-two 一The site of a new women's professors of Aoyama Gakuin Girls dormitory for Sophia Lniversity Junior College signed a state­ was blessed. ment protesting against the Kishi June 12 —The site of a new Notre administration and calling for a Dame College in Kyoto was blessed. dissolution of the Diet. June 13 —The executive commit­ June 10 —Fifty-one YWCA secre­ tee of the National Christian taries signed a protest against the Council discussed the question of present government calling for inviting a representative of the dissolution of the Diet and post­ Social Democratic Party to speak ponement of President Eisenhower’s to it on the current political situa­ visit to Japan. tion. —Dr. Takeshi Muto, chairman of —The National Christian Council the National Christian Council ex­ executive committee declined to pressed regret for the Hagerty consider a petition to urge post­ Incident at the Tokyo International ponement of President Eisenhow­ Air Port. er's visit. —The Rev. Sen Shigenaga，chief June 14 —Twenty-four Christian priest of the Asakusa Honganji in leaders decided in their individual Tokyo, resigned. capacity to welcome President Ei­ June 1 1 —Mr. Eijiun Otani, pro­ senhower and communicated their minent Buddhist member of the decision in a letter delivered to the Liberal Democratic Party withdrew American Embassy.

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—A two-day general conference Hotel in Tokyo to discuss the of the Christian Social Work As­ proposed Tokyo Crusade scheduled sociation met at Kofu, Yamanashi for May，1961. Prefecture with more than seventy —Fifty-one YMCA secretaries out representatives in attendance. of 114 signed a letter requesting June 16 —In regard to the vio­ ( 1 ) postponement of the pro­ lent mass demonstration which posed visit of President Eisenhow­ took place on the evening of June er, (2) resignation of Prime 15，leaders of the United Church Minister Kishi, and (3) dissolution of Christ in Japan are quoted as of the Diet. follows by the Kirisuto Tsushin —Ten members of the executive (^Christian News Service): committee of the National Chris­ Dr. Michio Kozaki—“Christians tian Council requested an emer­ are responsible for the incident, gency meeting of the Council’s Violence must not be permitted. executive committee in order to We must defend democracy•，’ Rev. advise Prime Minister Kishi to Kozo Kashiwai—“I was with the de­ postpone president Eisenhower’s monstrators. 1 realize that the stu­ visit to Japan. dents have a different philosophy. —Three ministers of the United We must begin a new movement Church of Christ in Japan visited of our own.” Rev. Yoon Tai O— the Metropolitan Police Headquar­ “ I know what communism is. ters to advise postponement of the Japanese Christians are supporting visit of President Eisenhower, the the Communist movement.” Rev. resignation of the Kishi cabinet, Iwao Niwa: “ It is a good thing and to protest the alleged brutal that Eisenhower’s visit has been treatment of Christians at the June postponed. The situation would 15 demonstrations. have been very grave if he had June 17 —A special meeting of come•” the National Christian Council ex­ —Dr. Bob Pierce of World Vision ecutive committee decided to cable held a conference with Christian the National Council of Churches leaders at the International Kanko of Christ USA urging postpone­ CHRONOLOGY FOR 1960 ment of the President’s proposed calling for the immediate dissolu­ visit. tion of the Diet and opposition to —Following his consecration Bi­ granting special status to the Grand shop Dominic Noguchi of Hiroshi­ Shrine of Ise, Yasukuni Shrine, and ma visited France，Spain, Belgium Meiji Shrine. and Germany. —The Christian Liaison Committee —Members of the National Chris­ decided to establish a Christian tian Council executive committee Cemetery in Saitama Prefecture. met with representatives of the June 24 —The nineteenth anni­ Social Democratic Party, Messrs. versary of the establishment of the Katsumata and Kanichi Nishimura United Church of Christ in Japan of the Lower House, to hear a was observed. report on the political situation. —Three hundred twenty-four Forty persons attended. poems were submitted in a contest June 18 —Eleven ministers of the conducted by the Committee for United Church of Christ in Japan the Revision of the Hymnal of the visited the chief of Metropolitan Catholic Church， of which 140 Police requesting that the police passed the first screening. not use their clubs in connection June 27 ■~Dr. Floyd Shacklock, with demonstrations by the general secretary of the Literature Depart­ public as if they were dealing with ment of the National Council of bandits. Churches of Christ, USA, stopped June 20 —The japan Home Bible over in Japan to conduct a two- Society celebrated its twentieth day conference at Sanmai-so in anniversary. The society has dis­ Hakone. tributed 248,000 Bibles and por­ June 29 —The Education Asso­ tions. ciation of Christian Schools held June 23 —More than twenty chair­ a conference of primary school men of the district Social Commit­ teachers at Toyo Eiwa Primary tees of the United Church of S chool.243 teachers of fourteen Christ in Japan, meeting in Hakone schools attended. for two-days, adopted resolutions

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